Cheap Ways To Look Expensive | Luxe-Looking Clothes On A Budget

Hi everybody, welcome back to my channel. Today's video is all about how you can look expensive without breaking the bank. So most of the items in my wardrobe are very inexpensive. I pride myself on spending very little on my clothes but still opting for high quality luxe looking pieces. So what I'm going to do in this video is share a little bit about how I go about doing that and find very kind of elevated looking pieces at a very affordable price point. So if you're ready, grab a notebook and pen and let's get started. My first tip is to become familiar with high end designers and their styling. So find a couple designers that you really like, a couple that you really aspire to and you really like their aesthetic and then familiarize yourself with the cuts that they use each season and then try to replicate that at a lower price point. So Zara is famous for doing this, they've gotten in a little bit of hot water over the years for doing it a little too well at times but basically that's what you're going to want to do. You're going to want to, like let's say for example you love Celine's Fall 2017 collection. So familiarize yourself with kind of cuts and the look that they go for in that particular show and then go out and look for that at a lower price point. So H&M, ASOS, Target, Zara, those are great places to find replicated pieces at a lower price point. So another thing is to kind of look for the styling that they use because just because an item is inexpensive doesn't mean you can't style it and jazz it up so that it feels unique and more elevated. So what I mean by that is like for example a blazer. I love to wear blazers like I'm doing today just standard with my arms through the sleeves but a great way to kind of change that up is to drape it over your shoulders and you instantly look a little bit more chic. Another thing to do is to kind of roll the sleeves, you can do that on shirts and blouses and things like that and it really just kind of takes things up a notch. So it creates visual interest which kind of distracts you from the fact that it might be a less expensive piece. My next tip is to opt for neutrals. Now often times when people recommend tips for looking luxe on a budget, the first thing they say is to opt for a neutral color like black, white, gray, cream, even pale pink and the reasoning is usually because those inherently look more luxe but I think that's missing the mark just a little bit. The reason why you want to look for those neutral colors isn't because they inherently look elevated, instead it's because those are the dyes that are easier to maintain the integrity of when operating at a lower price point. So when you are shopping at a Zara, an H&M or a Target, the reason their items cost so little is because they have very low operating costs. So the first things to go when that is the case is typically craftsmanship and then the integrity of the dyes that they use. So when you are looking for a piece that looks a little bit more elevated at a lower price point, you want to opt for the colors that are easier to maintain at low operating costs. Those being white, black, gray, cream, pale pink, very neutral basic light colors like that. Now the only exception to this would be if you are shopping at a Target for example and you find two black t-shirts, one of them is very richly dyed and it looks very luxe because it is such a deep color and then the other one looks a little bit more faded. Now if you are in pursuit of pieces that look a little bit more elevated, you are going to want to steer clear of the faded one and go for the richly dyed one. My next tip is to look for simple patterns. So just like the integrity of a rich color is hard to maintain at a low operating cost, the integrity of a very intricate pattern is also difficult to maintain. So what you are going to want to do is look for very simple patterns like thin stripes, very delicate checks, polka dots sometimes and even some delicate floral prints. The reason being that those are easier to align up and they tend to look a little bit more elevated even at a lower price point. So along those same lines, you are also going to want to look for the integrity of the craftsmanship of a piece. So when you are looking for a printed item at H&M for example, let's say you are looking at a striped shirt, you are going to want to make sure that the stripes are lined up along the seams and along the shoulders here because those are the first things you are going to notice when looking at a piece. And then also while you are doing that, you are going to make sure that none of the threads are coming undone, none of the buttons are loose and little details like that because it really helps a piece to look more finished and polished which inherently makes it look a little bit more elevated. So along those same lines, you are going to want to pay special attention to the buttons on a piece. So I'll insert some pictures here and there to kind of give you an idea of what an inexpensive and then more elevated button looks like because it's something you don't really think about until you start paying attention to it and then it makes a world of difference in a piece. So for example, when I was in college, I got this great jacket from Charlotte Ruse. I think it cost me $20 on sale, maybe $25 and it checked off all the boxes for a luxe looking piece at a low price point. So it was a neutral color, it had very finished seams, it fit me very well on the shoulders and on the sleeves, it was a good length overall and I thought that on the whole, it looked far more expensive than the very inexpensive price tag. Plus, I thought that it kind of mimicked Chanel a little bit, so I loved it a little bit more for that reason. And then what I did was I changed up the buttons because it had very inexpensive looking basic buttons on it. So I swapped those for some that I got at the craft store and I'm not exaggerating, every time that I wore that jacket from college all the way through, I think my third or fourth year working and finally quit, people would stop and ask me if it was Chanel just by changing up the buttons. So don't ever underestimate the power of a good button. My next tip is to look for classic clean tailoring. So when you're shopping at a place with lower operating costs overall, you want to kind of look for pieces that defy the odds, that usually go against them in the craftsmanship department. So a good way to do that is to look for pieces that have classic clean lines and a little bit of a more tailored approach to their design. So for example, blazers is a great place to start because you can oftentimes find a blazer at a very low price point that looks more elevated. Just by making sure that it has clean shoulders, that it has a very crisp line here, that it fits you well along here, and that it has darting along the back. All of those things kind of make the piece look a little bit more elevated. When it comes to pants, skirts, shorts, things like that, you can do the same by looking for similar details. So you're going to want to look for a finished hem either along the ankle or the thigh if it's shorts, and the knee if it's a skirt. You're also going to look for finished pockets. Make sure that the seams along the pocket openings are very clean and that they have a lining preferably. And then also another great way to kind of defy the odds when it comes to a lower price point is to look for belt loops. So by finding a piece that has belt loops, you automatically take it up an extra notch, plus you know that I love belts, so you can add a belt or take away a belt and it just kind of helps stretch the longevity even further of a lower end item. So along those same lines, you're going to want to take things to a tailor if they're close but not quite there. So this is something that I have done many times over the years and will continue to do. I will find items at a very low price point and then take them to a tailor to make them look like they were made for me because that bespoke custom look really helps elevate a piece overall. Next up is to look for luxe looking textures and materials. So whether you're shopping high end or low end, there are certain materials and textures that automatically feel more luxe. So those include leather or faux leather, suede or faux suede, faux fur, and chunky knit materials. So when you are looking for those at a lower price point, you want to make sure, just like the other things that I've mentioned, that all of the seams line up, that the material is believable, that it's a very natural looking color, and that it upholds the integrity of that piece as you would find it in its natural state. So for example, I have a faux fur stole that I love during the fall and winter because it instantly elevates otherwise basic pieces. So I think I paid $25 for it at Zara about two or three years ago at this point, and I loved it because it was very finished on the back, so when you flipped it over it has very neat seams, but then also it's a very believable shade of brown and light tan. So I love that piece for elevating very basic sweaters. I had a sweater that I got at Forever 21 that I don't have in my wardrobe any longer, but I had it for years, and I would wear the faux fur stole over it, and it instantly made it feel more elevated. So along those same lines, if you're looking for a suede or faux suede piece, you're going to want to make sure that it isn't scuffed or has giant scratches, and then again, the seams all line up, because even if you did spend a lot of money on a piece, if it does have those flaws, it won't look expensive. And then also, when it comes to knitwear, chunky knits instantly elevate a piece because those are very difficult to replicate at a low price point, so when you are looking for them at cheaper stores, you want to make sure that the seams are all there, that the shoulders fit you well, that the sleeves aren't too long, unless that's the look you're going for, and then also that the knit pattern is very even and neat, and that it doesn't have giant holes or gaps in it, because that's going to instantly make it feel more expensive. My last tip is to steer clear of sheer. So when it comes to shopping at a lower price point, you're going to be up against lower operating costs, like I mentioned at the beginning of the video, and that often translates into how sheer an item is, because the material tends to be thinner, which oftentimes makes it feel less expensive. So for example, if you're looking for a white shirt and you're going to be shopping at Forever 21, it's very possible to do, but there are a couple things you want to keep in mind, and one of them being that you don't want it to be too see-through. So a great thing to do is take an item and hold it up to a light source and put your hand in between it. So if you can see your hand very clearly, then it's going to be too transparent in real life. So it's a great thing to keep in mind when you are shopping at a lower price point, because again, if an item is too sheer, it does have a tendency to feel a little bit less expensive. So that's everything. Those are my tips for finding expensive-looking items at a low price point. I really hope you found this helpful, and I'd love to know in the comments down below what types of videos you'd like to see along these lines moving forward, because I think that there's a common misconception when it comes to getting dressed that you have to spend a ton in order to look like you spent a ton, and I totally disagree. I think it's very possible to find high-quality, expensive-looking pieces at a very low price point, and I'd love to make it a regular series on this channel. So if you have any ideas for how I can incorporate that, please let me know in the comments down below, and I'll definitely shoot those for you. And then other than that, thank you so much for watching, and I'll see you in my next one. Have a great day!